You've heard about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder affecting military veterans and first responders, but did you know PTSD can occur after a motor vehicle accident? PTSD occurs after a traumatic event is experienced or witnessed that may have caused death or serious injury, which includes severe motor vehicle accidents.
In fact, according to the research published by the National Institutes of Health, motor vehicle accident-related PTSD was found to be among the leading causes of PTSD. If you or a loved one has been involved in a motor vehicle accident (MVA) and are having a difficult time with psychological problems, you should consider speaking with an attorney.
PTSD Symptoms Resulting from an MVA
Even if you didn't have any physical injuries, you can still have psychological ones, particularly if you were involved in a severe accident that resulted in a death and you had watched the person die while waiting for the first responders to arrive. If everyone survived the accident, you could still have PTSD from the trauma of living through an MVA. Here are several of the symptoms someone in this situation may experience:
- You think about the accident constantly and try to avoid being reminded of it
- You have nightmares regularly and try to avoid sleeping because of them
- You have flashbacks that make you feel like you're reliving the accident
- You avoid family and friends because you don't want them to say anything about the accident
- You go out of your way to avoid the location of the accident
- You have a difficult time getting into an automobile
- You haven't been able to drive since the accident because of fear and anxiety
- Your heart rate and blood pressure increase when you have flashbacks
- You relive the moments of the impact when you hear loud sounds or see flashing lights
As you can see, all of these issues can affect your life in many ways, and it could be at the fault of someone else who was negligent. If you or your loved one are experiencing these types of issues, seek a mental health evaluation to determine if PTSD is the cause.
If you are diagnosed with the problem, you deserve to be compensated for your PTSD. When you have the evaluation done, be sure to tell the mental health professional that you were involved in an accident and sign a release form with them so they will be able to share the evaluation with your attorney after you hire one.
PTSD Symptoms Effects On Your Livelihood
PTSD following an MVA can affect your livelihood in many different ways. You may be unable to drive to work to remain gainfully employed. While at work, you may find it difficult to focus and concentrate, which could be dangerous in some industries and jobs. Since PTSD can affect your income and it can be a long-term condition, you'll want to speak with an auto accident attorney to start the process of seeking compensation for your psychological disorder and any loss of income that you have experienced.
After discussing your situation with an attorney during your initial consultation, be sure to provide them with a list of all the various ways your life has changed after the MVA. If you did have physical injuries, you'll want to discuss that as well. However, you clearly won't want to dismiss any of the psychological effects of the MVA as being important as well. Discuss your PTSD openly and candidly with your attorney so they have a good understanding of how the accident has negatively impacted your mental health, employment, and other aspects of your life.
Contact a local law firm, such as Dressler Law, to learn more.
